If you were to ask me what the most beautiful motorcycle of all time was, my answer would be the Ducati 916. And chances are, a lot of you would have the same answer, too. Designed by the famed Massimo Tamburini, the 916 would go on to define the future of superbikes and go down as one of the most beautiful motorcycles ever made.
It’s hard to believe that the Ducati 916 came out exactly 30 years ago this year. Clearly ahead of its time, I remember being drawn to this bike as a kid, I even had a poster of it in my room and a bunch of scale models of the 916, alongside a bunch of other iconic sportbikes of the era. Some of them are sitting on my desk as I write this story.
And in celebration of the iconic superbike’s 30th anniversary, Ducati has teamed up with Swiss watchmaker Maison Gerald Charles for the Maestro 4.0 Ducati 30° Anniversario 916. This limited-series timepiece flaunts the Maestro case designed by Mr. Gérald Charles Genta himself. Inside, the timepiece’s movement features fine details that pay homage to the Ducati 916.
Commenting on the launch of the new timepiece, Claudio Domenicali, the CEO of Ducati, said: “We are very proud of the result of this collaboration with Gerald Charles. Together, we present an extraordinary watch that pays homage to an authentic icon like the Ducati 916. The joint work of the Design Centers began with a precise idea in mind and successfully faced several technical and design complexities. This approach adds further value to a high-quality object that, from the first glance, reflects the values shared by Ducati and Gerald Charles: passion, craftsmanship, and attention to detail.”
Ducati and Gerald Charles say that the watch is designed for both durability and style. And it should be, as it carries a price tag of 37,200 euros, or about $41,354 USD—way more expensive than the current generation Ducati Panigale V4.
The watch gets a matte black ceramic bezel on a marbled-black forged carbon case. All this is integrated with a titanium crown, case-back, and buckle. So yeah, it makes use of all the space-age materials you’d expect to find in top-tier race bikes both of the past and the present. Furthermore, Ducati says that the dark gray finish is a nod to racetrack asphalt—pretty cool, if you ask me.
As for the face, well, it has a three-spoke design which fans of the 916 would immediately recognize as the iconic bike’s wheel. Interestingly, but perhaps not so surprisingly, this watch is Gerald Charles’ first watch to display time on a motorcycle wheel. But the 916 wheel isn’t just for show. It also serves as a jumping hour disk, displaying the hour numeral at the top of the face.
Now, if you’re one of the very lucky few to be the owner of a Ducati Panigale V4 SP2 30° Anniversario 916, and you just so happen to purchase this timepiece, you get a customization package that will have your bike’s number engraved on the watch’s case-back. Talk about being a die-hard Ducati fan, eh?
Now, I love watches and I love myself a fine timepiece when the occasion calls for it. But I’m by no means capable of acquiring a fine timepiece like this collaborative piece from Ducati and Gerald Charles. But maybe you are. Would you drop north of 40 grand for a watch like this? Let me know in the comments below.
